What Can NDIS Funds Be Used For? Complete Guide to Meal Services
Navigating your NDIS plan can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to work out exactly what can NDIS funds be used for. Between support categories, budget types, and ever-changing rules, it’s no wonder many participants feel a bit lost. One area that often gets overlooked? Meal preparation and delivery services. If cooking is a challenge because of your disability, your NDIS funding may help cover the cost of having nutritious, ready-made meals delivered straight to your door. In this guide, we’ll break down the key areas your NDIS funds can support, with a special focus on how meal services work and how to access them through your plan.
Understanding Your NDIS Funding
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding to help Australians with permanent and significant disabilities live more independently and participate in their communities. As at 30 June 2023, the NDIS supports over 610,000 participants across Australia, according to the independent NDIS Review ‘Working together to deliver the NDIS’, which draws on NDIA data. Your funding is based on what’s “reasonable and necessary” to help you pursue your goals, in addition to the support already provided by family, friends, and other government services.
Your NDIS plan may include up to three budget types, each designed for different kinds of support:
1. Core Supports
The most flexible budget category, covering everyday needs such as daily activities, social and community participation, consumables, and transport. Core funds can generally be moved between categories within this budget.
2. Capacity Building
Funds allocated across eight sub-categories matched to your plan goals, such as therapy services, skill-building programmes, and employment support. These funds cannot be moved between sub-categories.
3. Capital Supports
Covers larger investments like assistive technology, home modifications, and vehicle modifications. Capital funds can only be used for their specific stated purpose.
As outlined in the NDIS plan budget and rules, a support will typically be funded if it relates to your disability, helps you achieve your goals, and supports your social or economic participation.
What Your NDIS Funds Can Cover
Since 3 October 2024, following changes to NDIS legislation, the NDIA has introduced new support lists. These lists clearly set out examples of items that are considered NDIS supports and items that are not, giving participants and providers clearer guidance on what funding can usually be used for. Here’s a snapshot of the key areas your NDIS funds can support:
Daily Living Support
This is where meal services fit in. Daily living support covers help with personal care tasks like showering, dressing, and, importantly, meal preparation. If your disability makes it difficult to plan, shop for, or cook meals safely, you may be eligible for funding to have meals prepared and delivered to your home.
Social and Community Participation
Funding to help you engage in social, recreational, and community activities. This can include support workers to accompany you to events, group programmes, and community access services.
Therapies and Skill Building
Your plan may fund:
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Speech therapy
- Dietitian consultations
- Psychology services
- Allied health supports designed to increase your independence and wellbeing
Assistive Technology and Equipment
Items ranging from low-cost aids like non-slip bath mats to complex equipment like power wheelchairs and communication devices. These sit within your Capital Supports budget.
Home Modifications and Transport
Modifications such as bathroom rails, ramps, and widened doorways, plus transport funding if your disability prevents you from using public transport.
What NDIS Funds Cannot Be Used For
Just as important as knowing what’s covered is understanding what falls outside NDIS funding. The NDIA’s non-approved supports list outlines 15 areas that are not considered NDIS supports. These include:
- Day-to-day living costs such as groceries, rent, and clothing
- Fast food, takeaway, or food delivery platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash
- Medical treatments, medications, and hospital care already covered by Medicare
- Education and schooling supports
- Alternative therapies not backed by evidence (such as crystal therapy or gaming therapy)
- Pet costs (other than NDIS-funded assistance animals)
The key distinction with meal services is that the NDIS can fund the preparation and delivery of meals through approved providers, but it cannot fund the raw cost of food ingredients. That’s an everyday living cost for everyone, whether or not they have a disability.
How NDIS Funding Works for Meal Preparation and Delivery
Meal preparation and delivery is one of the most practical ways NDIS participants use their core funding. According to Team DSC’s guide on meal preparation and the NDIS, this support falls under Section 23 of the transitional NDIS Supports lists, described as assistance with essential household tasks a participant cannot perform due to their disability, including meal preparation and delivery.
The Co-Payment Model Explained
Under NDIS rules, your funding can only pay for the meal preparation and delivery component, not the raw cost of food. If a provider does not separate the ingredient cost from the preparation and delivery on the invoice, NDIS guidance explains that you can usually claim up to 70% of the total invoice from your Core budget, with the remaining 30% treated as your food cost.
When the provider clearly separates these amounts, you may be able to claim the full preparation and delivery component using your NDIS funds. At Nourish’d, our current pricing structure means the NDIS covers 80% of the meal cost and you pay a 20% co-payment for the ingredients (for example, on a $13.99 meal your co-payment would be $2.79).
For NDIS-funded meal services, invoices should clearly show the cost of ingredients separately from the cost of preparing and delivering the meal. This itemisation helps ensure the food component is treated as an everyday living cost, while the preparation and delivery component can be correctly claimed from your plan.
Checking Your Eligibility for Meal Services
To access funded meal delivery, look for one of these in your NDIS plan:
- "Daily Activities" listed under your Core Supports budget
- "Assistance with the cost of the preparation and delivery of meals" as a stated line item
- The specific NDIS line item reference 01_023_0120_1_1 or 01_022_0120_1_1
If meal preparation and delivery aren’t explicitly stated in your plan, you may still be able to use your core funding flexibly for this purpose. You can check with your Local Area Coordinator, Support Coordinator, or plan manager to confirm. For more details on whether meals are included in your plan, Nourish’d’s knowledge base article Is Meal Prep & Delivery in My NDIS Plan? walks you through the steps.
How to Access Meal Delivery Through Your NDIS Plan
Whether you’re self-managed, plan-managed, or agency-managed, there’s a pathway to get started with NDIS meal delivery. Here’s how it works for each management type:
Plan-Managed Participants
Your meal provider will send a service agreement and quote to your plan manager. Once approved, you pay only the ingredient co-payment, and the provider invoices your plan manager for the remaining preparation and delivery costs. Nourish’d makes this straightforward; you can learn how to get started as a plan-managed participant in our step-by-step guide.
Self-Managed Participants
You pay the full amount upfront when placing your order, then receive an NDIS-friendly invoice to claim back the preparation and delivery portion. If you’re self-managed, our guide on getting your NDIS self-managed invoices explains the process.
Agency-Managed Participants
You’ll need to use a registered NDIS provider. Once a service agreement is in place and approved by the NDIA, a service booking is created, and you simply pay the co-payment. For agency-managed participants, Nourish’d has a clear getting started guide to help you through the process.
Why Meal Delivery Services Matter for NDIS Participants
Good nutrition plays a vital role in overall health and wellbeing. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from the five food groups every day, but for many people living with disabilities, achieving this through traditional cooking can be difficult or even unsafe.
Ready-made meal delivery services bridge this gap by providing:
Nutritional Consistency
Chef-crafted meals designed with balanced macronutrients and adequate vegetable serves, taking the guesswork out of healthy eating.
Safety and Independence
No need to operate a stove, handle sharp knives, or manage complex recipes, simply heat and enjoy.
Dietary Compliance
Meals tailored to specific needs, such as:
Reduced Reliance on Support Workers
Freeing up funded hours for other activities while still ensuring proper nutrition.
What to Look for in an NDIS Meal Provider
Not all meal delivery services are created equal, and choosing the right provider can make a real difference to your health and your experience. Here are the key things to consider:
- NDIS Registration: A registered provider can work with all management types, including agency-managed participants.
- Dietary Certifications: Look for endorsements from recognised bodies. For example, Nourish’d holds a Coeliac Australia endorsement, meaning every meal is independently lab-tested to be 100% gluten-free.
- Fresh vs Frozen: Fresh meals tend to retain more flavour and nutritional value. Nourish’d delivers meals fresh, not frozen, made without artificial preservatives or refined sugars.
- Menu Variety: A rotating weekly menu keeps meals interesting and helps ensure a balanced diet over time.
- Transparent Invoicing: Your provider should clearly separate ingredient costs from preparation and delivery costs on every invoice.
- Flexible Ordering: No lock-in contracts, the ability to skip weeks, and options for both one-off and subscription orders.
Nourish’d Meals That NDIS Participants Love
At Nourish’d, every single meal on our menu is 100% gluten-free, chef-crafted, and nutritionist-approved. Here are some favourites among our NDIS meal delivery customers:
Our Butter Chicken with Cauliflower Rice is a rich, creamy curry that’s big on flavour without being too spicy. Slow-cooked chicken thigh is packed with iron and zinc to support a healthy immune system, while the cauliflower rice and hidden veggies like carrot and capsicum add gut-friendly fibre, B-vitamins, and antioxidants, all in a low-calorie, low-carb, paleo-friendly meal.
For a hearty comfort food option, the Beef Bourguignon with White Potato Mash delivers tender, slow-cooked beef in a rich, cranberry-infused sauce with carrots, mushrooms and aromatic herbs. It’s high in protein to support muscle health, with fibre from the vegetables and antioxidants from the sauce, making it a deeply satisfying, classic-style dinner that still fits within your nutrition goals.
If you’re after something fresh and bowl-style, the Burrito Bowl is a high-protein favourite featuring seasoned beef and pork mince, black beans, crisp corn, capsicum and lime and coriander basmati rice. The combination of lean protein, fibre-rich legumes and wholegrain rice helps keep you fuller for longer while providing important nutrients like B-vitamins, iron and zinc.
And for those with broader dietary needs, our gluten-free meals delivered page showcases the full range of options available to suit your preferences.
Tips for Making the Most of Your NDIS Meal Funding
Getting the best value from your NDIS meal funding comes down to a few practical strategies:
1. Review Your Plan Regularly
Check your Core Supports budget to understand how much flexibility you have. If meals aren’t currently in your plan but you need them, raise this at your next plan review and provide supporting evidence from an allied health professional. A dietitian can write an advocacy letter explaining why meal preparation and delivery is a reasonable and necessary support for your disability needs.
2. Use Your Provider’s Quote Tools
Nourish’d offers an NDIS quote generator that helps you estimate your meal costs and demonstrate value to your plan manager or the NDIA.
3. Consider a Subscription
Setting up a recurring order through a set-and-forget subscription can help you stay on track with regular, nutritious meals without having to reorder each week.
4. Know What Happens if Your Plan Is Extended
If your NDIS plan review is delayed and your plan gets extended, your existing meal arrangement can continue. Nourish’d’s guide on what to do if your NDIS plan is extended covers this in detail.
This guide is general information only and is based on publicly available NDIS guidance as at March 2026. NDIS rules and supports can change, and how they apply to you depends on your individual plan, so always check details with the NDIA, your LAC, Support Coordinator, or plan manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use NDIS funds for grocery shopping?
No. Groceries are considered an everyday living cost and are not funded by the NDIS. However, your NDIS funding can cover the preparation and delivery component of ready-made meals from an approved provider. You’ll pay a small co-payment for the ingredients.
Do I need a quote to access NDIS meal delivery?
Since March 2022, the NDIA no longer requires quotes for meal preparation and delivery in most cases. If you have core support funding specified for meals, you can claim without a formal quote. Check Nourish’d’s article Do I Need an NDIS Quote? for more information.
What percentage does NDIS cover for meals?
The percentage your NDIS funding covers depends on how your meal provider invoices your meals: if the ingredient cost is not separated from preparation and delivery, NDIS guidance explains you can usually claim up to 70% of the invoice from your Core budget, with the rest treated as your food cost, but when the food cost is clearly separated you may be able to claim the full preparation and delivery component. At Nourish’d, our current structure means the NDIS covers 80% of the meal cost and you pay a 20% co-payment for the ingredients. You can always check the latest details on Nourish’d’s co-payment information page.
Can I order from Uber Eats or takeaway with NDIS funds?
No. The NDIS support lists introduced in October 2024 make it clear that fast food services, takeaway food and general food delivery platforms (such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Menulog) are not considered NDIS supports. The only exception is for meal delivery providers that can separately identify the food and ingredient component from the preparation and delivery component on their invoices.
Are Nourish’d meals suitable for people with coeliac disease?
Yes. Every Nourish’d meal is 100% gluten-free and endorsed by Coeliac Australia. Our meals are independently lab-tested to ensure they meet the strictest safety standards, making them suitable for those living with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity. You can learn more about our coeliac-safe approach on our Is Nourish’d Coeliac Safe? page.
How do I sign up for Nourish’d as an NDIS participant?
Getting started is easy. Simply visit our NDIS sign-up guide to find the specific steps for your management type. If you’re a support coordinator signing up a participant, we also have a dedicated Support Coordinator step-by-step guide to make the process as smooth as possible.
Your Next Step to Easier, Healthier Mealtimes
Understanding what your NDIS funds can be used for is the first step towards getting the support you deserve, and meal preparation and delivery is one of the most practical, impactful ways to use your funding. At Nourish’d, we’re here to make healthy eating simple with fresh, chef-crafted meals that cater to a wide range of dietary needs. Whether you’re plan-managed, self-managed, or agency-managed, getting started takes just a few clicks. Explore our full NDIS meal delivery menu today and let us take care of the cooking, so you can focus on the things that matter most.
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